Description

This comforting Crockpot Chicken Tortellini recipe combines tender chicken, creamy cheese tortellini, fresh spinach, and aromatic Italian herbs in a rich, flavorful broth. Perfect for a hands-off, satisfying meal that requires minimal preparation and offers hearty, cheesy goodness.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Broth

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs), diced into bite-sized pieces
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Dairy and Pasta

8 oz full-fat cream cheese
12 oz frozen cheese tortellini

Vegetables and Herbs

2 cups fresh spinach (or 1 cup frozen spinach)
2 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)

Seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare Ingredients: Dice the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and mince the garlic cloves finely to ensure even cooking and maximum flavor infusion.
Combine in Crockpot: Add the diced chicken, minced garlic, low-sodium chicken broth, full-fat cream cheese, and dried Italian herbs into the crockpot. Stir well to mix all ingredients thoroughly for uniform flavor during slow cooking.
Cook Chicken Mixture: Cover the crockpot and cook on low setting for 6 hours or alternatively on high setting for 3 hours, allowing the chicken to soften and flavors to blend together.
Add Tortellini and Spinach: Approximately 30 minutes before serving, stir in the frozen cheese tortellini and fresh or frozen spinach. This timing ensures the tortellini cooks through without becoming mushy and the spinach wilts perfectly.
Season and Serve: Before serving, taste the stew and adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper as desired to balance the flavors.

Notes

Using low-sodium broth allows better control over the salt content in the final dish.
For a dairy-free option, substitute cream cheese with a plant-based cream cheese alternative.
If fresh spinach is unavailable, frozen spinach works well but be sure to drain excess liquid if necessary.
Cooking times may vary slightly depending on your crockpot model, so check tenderness before adding tortellini.
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
Category: Main Course
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Keywords: crockpot chicken, chicken tortellini, slow cooker dinner, creamy chicken pasta, easy crockpot recipe, comfort food, Italian herbs, cheese tortellini